BILL NUMBER: S6800
SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to supervision by certain
nurse practitioners; and to amend part C of chapter 57 of the laws of
2022 amending the education law relating to modernizing nurse practi-
tioners, in relation to making certain provisions permanent
 
PURPOSE:
Makes permanent the 2022 amendments to the Nurse Practitioner Moderniza-
tion Act; and continues the obligation of newly certified nurse practi-
tioners ("NP") to maintain written practice agreements, provided, howev-
er, junior NPs would be permitted to collaborate with a licensed
physician or an experienced NP.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the Education Health Law to clarify that newly certi-
fied NPs may enter into the required written practice agreement with
either a qualified physician or an experienced NP.
Section 2 amends the effective date to ensure that the changes to the
nurse practitioner authorizing statutes are made permanent.
Section 3 provides an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In order to increase access to health care services and eliminate arti-
ficial administrative barriers to consumer care, as part of the 2014
budget, the State adopted the Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act
(NPMA). The NPMA, among other things: (i) eliminated the requirement
that NPs with at least 3,600 hours of practice maintain a Written Prac-
tice Agreement or Written Practice Protocols, provided that the experi-
enced NP maintains a collaborative relationship with one or more
licensed physicians qualified to collaborate in specialty involved, or a
hospital; and (ii) required that the SED issue a report, in consultation
with DOH, regarding the law's implementation and offer recommendations.
The joint SED-DOH report released in late November 2018 summarized the
law, described how it was implemented by SED, and included several
"Findings and Recommendations." Recognizing the importance of those
recommendations, further revisions were made to the NPMA as part of the
2022 budget but had a two-year sunset clause. Those changes, which in no
way altered the NP scope of practice, but did affect their ability to be
certified, should now be made permanent.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S6800: 6902 education law, 6902(3) education law